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Effect of carrying school backpacks on cardio-respiratory changes in adolescent students

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Abstract

Fifteen male high school students (12.5±0.5 years) voluntarily participated in this study. They carried backpacks with 0 (as a control group), 8, 10.5 and 13% of their body weights on a treadmill at 1.1 m/s for 15 min. Their systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure was measured by a digital blood pressure meter, and heart rate (HR), minute ventilation (MV) and respiratory frequency (RF) by a Gas Analyzer System, in 3 positions: rest, exercise (15 min walking) and recovery (3 min after walking). The results indicated that the SBP and MV during and 3 min after carrying backpacks 10.5 and 13% of body weight were significantly higher than under 0 and 8% body weight load conditions. The DBP increased significantly only at the 13% body weight load condition, after 15 min of walking. The weight of school backpacks for high school students can be recommended as 8% of their body weight, because carrying 8% body weight load did not significantly change cardio-respiratory parameters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of P.E and Sport Sciences, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran

    H. Daneshmandi

  2. Sport Physiology, Faculty of P.E and Sport Sciences, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran

    F. Rahmani-Nia & S. H. Hosseini

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  1. H. Daneshmandi
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  2. F. Rahmani-Nia
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  3. S. H. Hosseini
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Correspondence to H. Daneshmandi.

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Daneshmandi, H., Rahmani-Nia, F. & Hosseini, S.H. Effect of carrying school backpacks on cardio-respiratory changes in adolescent students. Sport Sci Health 4, 7–14 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-008-0060-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-008-0060-8

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